Greetings, this is my first post. I’ve been considering myself a neophyte in Dark Sun lore for a few years now. I know that the revised edition brought several changes that are still controversial today.
However, many of its additions are interesting to me, such as the hostile and twisted swamp ecosystem that is found at the base of the Jagged Cliffs and that was born millennia ago since it was here that Rajaat experimented in an uncontrolled way with his magic, corrupting and twisting the nature of the place.
We know that any being that is exposed to the nature of the swamp can experience all kinds of mutations, one of them being what the Rhul-Thaun decided to call “The Curse of Rajaat” because it twists the very structure and nature of any being that is exposed to it. It is known that this hostile ecosystem is contained within the whole, since it is never mentioned that it expands towards the Crimson Savannah, but it is true that its mutagenic emanations reach the top of the cliffs and are capable of affecting all life in the area.
Now the questions begin: What would happen if a Pyreen is exposed to the corrupt nature of this place? Could a new Rajaat end up being born? What happens if an Avangion were exposed? Would it be able to heal the place or would its own nature be exposed and in this way the ecosystem could expand? Could the magic of the environment be used as a new and dangerous source of magical power that does not consume the life of Athas but does corrupt and twist it?
These questions are the main inspiration that I decided to take for a future campaign
What do you think?
I doubt dragons or avangion would fail those saving throws, but aside from that, neat idea.
Mechanically no advanced being could be affected, but in my case it would be more a matter of a horrible situation that occurred by chance, perhaps an Avangion trying to cure the magical infection would have been exposed enough to change in some twisted way.
One of my campaign ideas revolves around the idea of a Pyreen that was captured by the Reggelid while defending Thamasku from a major attack (in my campaign the Reggelid managed to get hold of the “Little Death” artifact) and was submerged right in the waters surrounding the pyramid of Rajaat, such an event would have deformed it both physically and mentally, emerging as a corrupt creature whose twisted goal would be to “cure” Athas by expanding the swamp ecosystem and thus save the planet.
“Good guy as BBEG” is a classic; sounds like a great basis for a campaign.
Thanks, although by now it’s almost a common trope, now I’d have to think about whether other Pyreen, radical druids, crazed wizards and paraelemental clerics (I suppose of rain and mud) could be potential followers of this antagonist.
How do you think the nearby Sorcerer Kings would react? Especially Oronis and Daskinor, who would be the closest to this madness.
Well, Daskinor hates/fears everything, so I’d guess “poorly” at least - he’d probably attack.
Oronis’ ultimate goal seems to be to recreate the Green and then Blue Age in thr Oronha valley, so I’d imagine he’d initially be in favor of this crazed Avangion, slowly growing more concerned and horrified as he learned more about them. No matter what, I’d imagine Oronis acting subtly and with compassion, even if it means “dropping a dime” on a crazed Avangion so the SMs can destroy them to protect his people / the people of the Forgotten North.
Cat’s Paw agents (i.e., the PCs, ultimately) would probably be a good method of Oronis dealing with that BBEG, or at least of him seeing to it that the Avangion was “dealt with” one way or the other.
I like your answer, the idea that Oronis can pull the strings so that crazy old Daskinor can do something good by killing this crazy Avangion would be an interesting idea as a campaign ending, perhaps he could even cure his madness or become even crazier.